


Waking up

by Ppprincen



Category: Original Work
Genre: Gen, is not meant to be the reader i just didn't know how to convey the start any differently, shifts to 3rd, starts in 2nd person
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-10-10
Updated: 2020-10-10
Packaged: 2021-03-08 02:47:49
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,544
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26938396
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Ppprincen/pseuds/Ppprincen
Summary: Waking up for the first time was hard, everyone understood that. Your first breath always felt like you were drowning and suffocating at once- the lack of air in your lungs causing panic. It lasts way too long; until eventually your brain starts asking “Why aren’t I dead?” and the confusion overtakes the need to breathe.(A world building short where someone wakes up for the first time, and what happens immediately after.)





	Waking up

Waking up for the first time was hard, everyone understood that. Your first breath always felt like you were drowning and suffocating at once- the lack of air in your lungs causing panic. It lasts way too long; until eventually your brain starts asking “Why aren’t I dead?” and the confusion overtakes the need to breathe.

Stuttering lungs stop as your brain starts to work overtime to excuse your continued existence. This can go in a few different directions, you either realize you don’t remember the last many hours of your life or realize you can’t feel anything. You choose the latter without knowing there were other ways to go. It’s not cold or warm, it’s the same feeling you get after swimming for too long, surrounded by water that’s slowly been absorbing your body heat and replacing it with its own lack of temperature. Yet, you _feel_. There are tiny pricks of light in the distance surrounding you- stars? When did you open your eyes? When did you close them?

You’re floating in an empty expanse that your gut tells you _should_ be filled with things that you can’t see, hidden just out of eyesight. Colors twinkling against an all-encompassing black background. It’s shifting as the lights and colors sparkle, but not enough to make out anything. You can’t _see;_ Why can’t you _see_.

“Are you awake yet? I have so much to tell you. Can you hear me? Can you think?” A voice asks- ringing out from everywhere. It’s featureless, indescribable and impossible to replicate even as it echoes in your mind. 

“Who are you? Where am I?” You ask. A few seconds ago, you didn’t even know you had a voice, this discovery is exciting. “I can talk. I can talk!”

The voice sounds happy, despite not having a face. “You _can_ speak!” It says, like it’s assuring a toddler of its own capabilities. “You don’t know me yet. I don’t know if you’re ever going to be able to. You’re only passing through the place where we can speak, you won’t be here for long. What’s your name?”

You say your name immediately, answering too fast. But the words come out garbled in a way you can’t understand. That _was_ your name, right? Why did it sound so… wrong?

“No.”

That’s crushing, knowing the voice doesn’t believe you. “No?”

“There’s another name, try again.” It says, sounding reassuring and guiding. And as they say it you know it’s true, even if you don’t know what the other name is. “Look inside you. You know it even if you don’t think you do.” It says, and falls quiet, receding.

“Please don’t leave.” You say, suddenly panicked. Is that what will happen if you don’t find it? Will it leave? You don’t want to be alone. It doesn’t respond and you’re _sad_ , but you know you must do what it said. Find your name. It’s somewhere inside you, hidden deep and buried.

What is it?

You try out a few words as they come to your mind, each one falling flat as they leave your mouth. Every option feels hollow and wrong. You’re trying more halfheartedly now as more names appear in your mind and leave with the same incorrect feeling. None of them are working; this isn’t working.

Your mind starts to wander, half searching for inspiration, half trying to distract yourself as your spirits fall. You try to think of home, and you aren’t as concerned as you should be when the memories fail to surface. You attempt to think of your childhood, and when that too fails, you turn to your fantasies.

You think of a world brimming with technology, where people are healthy and wise, with no troubles to worry about. You think of circuit boards and flashing lights.

You think of a world that is an empty desert, the winds shaping dunes and hills as the temperatures fluctuate between the day and night. You think of the creatures there, content and adapted to the sand and heat.

You think of a world covered in green, nature overwhelming everything. You think of flowers, blooming, blossoming, and-

And-

Flourish opens their eyes for what is both the first and not the first time. They’re floating alone in a beautify limitless void, and they still have no idea how they got there but it feels comforting now.

“My name is Flourish.” They say. Someone asked it, but they don’t know who. Their name fits comfortably around them, a perfectly fitting word tailored just for them. It makes them feel lighter- how did they never know it in the first place?

“Flourish.” The voice from earlier repeats, sounding pleased. “That’s better. You’ve done well to stay here this long. I can only hope you keep this up.”

It’s proud of Flourish, and they feel themselves smiling in response. “Am I going to remember this?” They ask, through they’re not sure why they feel they need to.

“I don’t know. I hope you do. Listen: I want you to live your best life. I can’t leave this place, I can’t leave _myself_ , but I can watch you. I know you don’t understand right now, but you will. I’ve seen what the others think of me, but… they _worship_ me. I don’t want that. I don’t want anything from you, or any of them. I just want you to live your life for me. I just want them all to be happy. To do what I can’t. You’re the first person I’ve been able to talk to, so I’m trusting you to pass this on, okay?”

Flourish nods, though they're not sure if the voice can see them from wherever it is. It’s not coming from one place, and they can’t see anything or anyone nearby.

It must be able to, because Flourish feels the hope radiating off it. “I know you’ll be phenomenal no matter what. I believe in you, and I love you _so_ much. Don’t forget that, even if you forgot the words- keep it in your heart, in the back of your mind. Everything I do is to make sure you’re happy and okay. You are my greatest creation yet, and I love you so much; the world loves you so much. Don’t forget that.” It says, it’s words are warm and loving.

Flourish doesn’t want to leave- but they feel themself being pulled backwards as it speaks.

The last thing they clearly hear is the voice, still warm. “Can you hear me Flourish? I’m talking to _**you**_.” The voice says, resounding louder and synchronizing with itself.

And then nothing.

* * *

Flourish awoke with a start, breathing in fresh air and glancing around in confusion. There were multiple people above them looking down, and beyond them was the night sky. They had no idea where they were, couldn’t remember what happened, or who the people around them were. The last thing they remembered was… nothing. They couldn't remember anything.

Wordlessly they push themselves up, looking around. The people around them are the first they’ve ever seen. Distantly, their mind relays that _that’s not true. You’ve met hundreds of people. Why can’t you remember any of them_? Flourish blinks, eyes focusing like a camera lens as hundreds of things come into sight, blocking out the black expanse. Multiple people around them, there’s grass underneath where they’re sitting and there’s trees nearby, and towards the horizon is a grand city, towering into the night sky.

Flourish chokes up, nearly crying. It’s beautiful. They’ve never seen anything like it; they’ve never _seen_ before.

The person in front of them shifts to their side, rubbing their back. “I know. I know. You’ll get used to it. You’ve seen before, it’ll take some time for everything to come back.”

Did they say that out loud? Was that their first words, that it's beautiful and that they’ve never seen?

“I’m sure you’re got a lot of questions, but we’ll explain everything in time.” They say. Their voice isn’t what Flourish expects. It’s not unusual in any way, and Flourish isn’t sure why they expected something different. “I’m Cosmic.”

“Flourish.”

Cosmic raises an eyebrow, questioning.

“That’s… my… name.” Flourish says, looking more and more confused as they process their own words. “That wasn’t what people called me. Why do I know that my name is Flourish? Why can’t I remember my name?” They ask, startled.

Cosmic glances to the side at the others, unsure. “I don’t know, we all choose our names here so it’s good you already know yours but… It’s probably just part of the recovery process, all your memories will come back in time.”

Flourish nods, “I’m sure you’re right. I don’t really understand anything that’s happening right now, but you seem to know more than I do.”

“I’m a bit experienced at this all, yeah.” Cosmic admits. “I know you said you don’t remember your name and seeing... anything, but do you remember anything at all from before you woke up? Family? Friends?” They prompt.

Flourish falls silent for just a moment, before their brain supplies words they didn’t understand, but knew in their heart to be true. “The world loves me.” They say.

“The world loves me _so_ much.

… 

Where am I?”

**Author's Note:**

> Thanks for reading! There isn't meant to be a lot of context, but it's meant to more or less make sense despite that. I'd really appreciate it if you told me what you think!


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